Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has said she’s “devastated” about the axing of her colleague, amid ITV’s recent job cuts.
Last month, ITV announced a big change to its daytime programming, with Loose Women, Lorraine, This Morning and Good Morning Britain set to be affected by the decision.
From January 2026, the shows will be broadcast from a new location in central London, and will operate on an updated airing schedule. The shake-up will see Loose Women reverting to its previous slot of 12.30pm-1.30pm, on a 30-week “seasonal basis”.
Meanwhile, the show will also be losing its live studio audience, meaning comedian Lee Peart will no longer be serving as the warm-up act – a role he has performed since 2017.
On an episode of her Coffee Moaning podcast, hosted alongside her husband Mark Adderley, Sawalha addressed the axing of her “dear friend”, saying she “can’t get over it”.
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
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“From next year there will be no Loose Women audience,” she said. “I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all.
“Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”
ITV
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The ITV changes will also see Lorraine moving to a 30-week schedule, with episodes running from 9.30am until 10am, while This Morning will continue to air from 10am until 12.30pm.
The running time for Good Morning Britain will be increased by 30 minutes for each episode – running from 6am until 9.30am. These episodes will be extended by a further 30 minutes when Lorraine isn’t on air.
Previously speaking about the cuts, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, said: “I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams.
“We will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition.”
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.